Hope for the Second Chance
by EllaPotter1988
Summary: Harry and Ginny survive the war, but they are too caught up in the past to live. One day Ginny finds hope that they can return and relive their lives and save everyone else. Time Travel. Harry/Ginny Ron/Hermione Neville/Luna HBP compliant. Draws from DH.


AN: I promise this story I will update. I might go back to the Exchange Student but I have totally forgotten what I was going to do with it. In the mean time I have fallen in love with Harry sending his memories/soul back to his younger self fics and have wanted to write one. I am looking for a beta for this story if anyone is interested please let me know. Hope you enjoy the first chapter and I will have more up later.

I do not own Harry Potter and do not intend to break copyright. This story is for fun and a plot I have created for JK Rowling's wonderful characters. This is just for practicing my writing skill.

Ginny once again found herself in the library of Potter Manor. It puzzled her but she felt drawn to it. Hermione must have rubbed off on her, she thought with a chuckle. But, she really didn't want to think about Hermione or anyone else for that matter. They were all dead, everyone but Harry. Hermione and Ron died over five years ago and most everyone else died before them. They were so young. Her tears were falling down her face just by remembering her best friend who would have been her sister in-law. Thankfully, Harry was still with her. She loved him dearly and their fifth anniversary was rapidly approaching, not that they would celebrate it. No, they celebrated little. They both lived so much in their pasts with their regrets. Harry buried himself under his work as an Auror desperate to help and save those he could. The guilt over the death of all his loved ones save Ginny ruled his life. He blamed himself for not making sure there were protections in place for Bill's Wedding. The attack was obvious looking back and he would never forgive himself for it especially since he felt like he ran away like a coward while everyone else died.

After she calmed down enough to stop her tears, she quickly brushed them and forced herself to think about what she wanted to read today. Reading took her mind off of the pain. Looking around at the rows and rows of books she decided today she would try to get an idea of the many subject she had not even glanced at. The library had thousands of books and was ten times the size of the Hogwarts Library. Too bad Hermione never got to see it. But, she just stopped thinking about her, and not wanting to get upset again, she brushed away the thought as quickly as it came. Looking around at the shelves, most of what she had read was near the entrance so to get new material she should start at the back. Setting off and a good pace, she started to make the walk to the back of the library. About halfway to the back of the room she noticed tripped over a small statue of a house elf and it sent her shoulder into the bookcase next to it when she lost her balance. She chuckled remembering Tonks and her clumsiness. When she attempted to stand she glared at the statue and nearly fell over when it winked at her. To her knowledge the other statues were not charmed, at least she had never seen them move.

Decided it was worth a try, she questioned the statue, "So is there a purpose for you being able to move? Eh? Did you trip me on purpose?"

The little elf just grinned but gave no further hints.

She now knew it likely could understand her. "Can you speak?"

The statue shook its head.

"Is there something here that I need to see?"

It nodded.

"Is it a book on this shelf here?" She asked pointing to the shelf behind the elf.

It shook its head again.

"No, hmm well I don't know how you are going to tell me what it is if it isn't a book right here and you cannot speak."

"Is it important that I find this?"

The little elf's head nodded so forcefully that she feared the statue would break. It then pointed to some lettering at the base of its statue that she had missed until then.

If you desire to change the past, search for William Potter the Wise. His portrait exists though doubtful you have seen it. For only those who desire to change the past can see this text and only those who have seen this text can see his portrait. Good day Mr. or Mrs. Potter and hopefully you will find that what you wish for.

Because the hint was in the library she thought the portrait might be as well. She looked at every surface of the library for the next hour but there were no portraits in that room. Perhaps the house elves could tell me who William Potter was since they have long been in the family. The thought of being able to change the past was exhilarating. She felt more alive than she had in years. She could have her loved ones back. Both Harry and her could.

"Shelly, Lotty" Ginny called.

After two pops the house elves appeared, "Yes, Mistress. What cans wes dos for yous todays?" Lotty asked.

Lotty had big brown eyes and was on the tall side for a house-elf standing at three feet tall. He was rather old and had grandchildren living it Potter Manor. Ginny guess he would know something. He did not speak as well as Shelly though. Shelly had pretty blue eyes. She was a little over two feet tall and only thirty years old. She loved history and the Potter family was something she was very knowledgeable about. Many times, Shelly spoke of James' father Charles telling her of the family history and how she enjoyed their conversations. They both wore a red and gold tea towel. Harry hated them being enslaved but knew they would have it no other way. Since he dared not give them clothing to insult them, he insisted that they wear fine tea cloths and he bought them in Gryffindor colors to bring him some joy.

"You know the history of the family yes?" Ginny blurted out quickly.

"History of the Potters ma'ams. Yes, es, wells, we knows as far back as 500 years ma'ams." Lotty answered.

"Have you heard of a William Potter the Wise?"

Lotty looked puzzled and started to say, "No, m..." but was cut off by Shelly.

"I have heard of him mistress. He lived in the time of the Hogwarts founders and was one of the first students to enroll at Hogwarts. He was sorted into Gryffindor and became close friends with Godric Gryffindor after he graduated. He married a muggleborn Christi Sanders who was a seer. They say she was a beauty and he cared deeply about her. They had this Manor built in fact. They say there are secrets room in this house that he left for specific ancestors to find based on the prophecies of his wife. These prophecies are also said to have been left here in a secret room. He had several children and the oldest born Potter male has always received this estate from their father ever since. As far as him being called wise, they say it is because of how he used the knowledge of the future he had to his benefit and the benefit of his descendants. This is all I know about him."

"Come with me to this statue." Ginny said as she turned and walked back to the little house elf's statue.

As they approached it, Shelly squealed. "That is Salvedon, he was William Potter's house elf. They say he knew of all William's secrets. He is all of us house elves here's ancestor. Curious I've been here before yet I've never seen this statue.

Ginny pointed at the text "Shelly can you see the words at the bottom?"

"Oh yes, mistress. They never make this where house-elves fall under the same restrictions as wizard's. Do you wish for us to search for this portrait? It should now be visible since you have need of it. I will make sure all of the elves look for it until we find it. The manor is very large it could take us a few days. At least we know the time period it should be from."

"Oh please do. I do hope you can find something. We would dearly love to have our family back."

"Yeses, mistress. Wes wills looks for it." Lotty said almost as an after thought.

Ginny grabbed a book of Wizarding fairy tales from the library and sat down at the kitchen table to await Harry arriving home from work. She knew the Tales of Beetle the Bard were more than Tales and she was thankful they now knew of the Deathly Hallows as they kept Harry alive. She just wished they had found out sooner and that they had been able to get to the horcruxes sooner.

Immersed in The Wizard and the Hopping Pot,she did not notice when Harry arrived home and jumped when he wrapped his arms around her.

"Ginny, dear, put the book down for a bit we have not spent quality time together in a while." She guessed she could wait to tell him the news, it was not important until the house elves found the portrait.

She gave a big smile to Harry who grinned back. She grabbed a quill and a parchment and wrote Don't Disturb Us Unless Important and set it on the kitchen table. With energy she had not had in years, she took Harry's hand and dragged him to their bedroom.

* * *

Later that evening, they were still laying in each others arms, enjoying the comfort they gave each other. Ginny finally broke the silence, "Harry you are not going to believe what I found today." She relayed what she had learned that day and he did not interrupt her. He had learned to be patient during the war.

Once she finished giving him the information, his eyes showed his hope and excitement. "Do you think we should search for it as well?" He sounded as if he were a five year old excited about Christmas.

"The house-elves will be able to do so more efficiently than we possibly could. I think we should let them handle that and start discussing what we'll do if we can indeed do it over." Ginny knew she would have to be the practical one. Harry, bless him, would jump off a cliff if it meant he could have Sirius, Ron, and Hermione back.

"Wow, I mean, a second chance, if your brothers were still alive I'd think this might be a prank. A cruel one. But, a prank nonetheless." A look of shocked passed over his face, "It isn't a prank is it? You wouldn't do that to me right?"

"Harry!" Ginny smacked his arm, "How could you accuse me of that. I know what this means to both of us. This is completely serious. I desire this as much as you do. I'll show you the statue tomorrow. Maybe we can see if we can find some books on William."

Harry rubbed his arm and rolled onto his back. He was silent for a few minutes. "I don't think we should go back any further than your first year. Nothing before that really needs to be changed."

"Should we tell Dumbledore what we are doing?" Ginny asked.

"Dumbledore, portraits, why didn't I think of it? We need to go to Hogwarts and talk to him. He might know something about William."

"But what about telling him once we get back, if we can that is."

"I don't know, I would like to. He could help us. We must ask his portrait what he believes we should do. On that note, what about the diary."

Ginny cringed, "I suppose we should make sure to go back to when I have it. I don't want to see that thing ever again though. Bloody horcruxes."

"I promise if we get back at that time the first thing we'll do is go destroy it. The two of us can easily kill that basilisk. You are not going to get possessed the way you did before though. There is no way I'm letting you get that close to death again if I can stop it. We'll destroy the diary with the basilisk's fang."

"Maybe the Room of Requirement could help us with getting the sword so we can infuse it with basilisk venom. We could ask for the sorting hat and talk to it and it might provide it for us. A sword is easier to carry around than basilisk's fangs and much easier to explain away."

"Ginny, I don't care how easy it is if we destroy all the Horcruxes before he regains his body I can kill him before anyone gets hurt."

"Harry, are you use the killing curse on you to get rid of the horcrux in you."

"Actually, I hadn't really thought about it, you think I'll still have the horcrux in me? I just guess I thought if my soul was sent back there would be no horcrux attached."

"Well I guess it might not be depends on if our souls and/or memories are sent back. We just don't know. We will have to wait until we find William."

"Ginny as exciting as this is we have had a long day. We need sleep. We'll go see Dumbledore tomorrow." Harry yawned as he was saying this and made Ginny yawn. She glared at him and said, "Fine," as she snuggled into his arm and closed her eyes to sleep. For the first time in years, they slept through the night with no nightmares of the war.

* * *

In the morning, Harry and Ginny woke up feeling better than they had in years. Harry sent Pig whom he had acquired after Ron's death to the Ministry to inform the other Aurors that he would not be into work. He had hardly taken a day off in the last three years and knew that they would not mind. As they walked into the kitchen, Shelly met them.

"We have not found the painting yet but we are all looking. Your usual breakfast is served on the table. Master, there is a letter on the table to you. I do not know who is from as there is no return address. Let me know if you need anything otherwise I will continue searching for your portrait."

Harry grabbed a muffin off of his plate and started to eat it as he opened the letter.

Dear Mr. Potter, I do not know in what time you will live, but if you are receiving this one of your relatives has seen a house elf in the library named Salvedon. I hope you have found out something about me; however, the first thing you need to do is read my diary. You may as well stop your search for my portrait too. You won't find it until you read my diary, the whole diary. If you're anything like my boys you'd just find out how to get the diary and then find my portrait. I expect you and any wishing to accompany you to the past read the diary first. The prophecies relating to you are important and you must know the contents first. Tell know one other than your fellow travelers of your knowledge of these prophecies. If you and those accompanying are not Occlumens, I will require you to become one before you go back. I have ways to check if you have learned it. Everything else you must learn from my diary. To find it go back to where you found the little elf, reach under his chin and push up there will be a key inside the compartment. Then lift the book Potter History out of the shelf behind it and say "The past must be changed." A key hole will pop out of the book shelf. Once you put the key in and turn it, step back as the shelf will open to form a doorway. You will only be able to pass through this doorway if you are a Potter or have been bonded in marriage to a Potter. Your house-elves also can come through. You cannot take the diary out of this room. Go now and find it. Once those intending on going to the past as you will write in my diary have read it, another letter will be sent to you with further instruction."

William Potter

Please review. Let me know what you like and dislike. I only ask that you critic me diplomatically. I do not see any need for flames and would appreciate it if you did not use them.


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